Quality of diabetes care in primary care setting in egypt: an example of health sector reform in developing countries.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent of provider adherence to evidence-based guidelines for diabetes care and the extent of glycemic, blood pressure, and lipid control in patients with diabetes in a developing country. A retrospective cohort study was carried out to evaluate diabetes care provided under Health Sector Reform Program (HSRP) in a major medical center in Alexandria, Egypt. Data on care provided for 137 patients were abstracted from medical records.

Reconstructive strategies in soft tissue reconstruction after resection of spinal neoplasms.

Study Design: A retrospective study of 134 consecutive cases in 92 patients who underwent soft tissue reconstruction of the spinal region following tumor removal.

Objective: To better understand how to optimize outcomes in soft tissue reconstruction of the spine region.

Summary Of Background Data: With the increasing use of instrumentation and the fact that many patients with spinal neoplasms have debilitated wound-healing capacity, most of these patients are at high risk for postsurgical wound complications.

Women health in poor urban settings in Alexandria.

The aim of this paper is to investigate women health and status as well as to study gender gap in three poor urban settings in Alexandria. Poor families were identified and invited to participate in the study through the help of local informants. The study included 172 families, 53 from Abu-Kir, 57 from El-Dahreya and 62 from Wadi El-Kamar area.

Risk factors of puerperal sepsis in Alexandria.

Puerperal infections are an important cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in developing nations. Investigators have noted several risk factors for developing puerperal sepsis. However, the relative importance of these risk factors varies and has to be determined for each setting.

Patient preference for providers' gender at a primary health care setting in Alexandria, Egypt.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine patient's gender preferences in choosing general practitioners and specialists for both general and specific health issues at primary health care centers in Alexandria, Egypt.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Smouha Health Center, Alexandria Governorate, Alexandria, Egypt. The study was conducted between the period January -- March 2004.

Cavernous nerve reconstruction to preserve erectile function following non-nerve-sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy: a prospective study.

Erectile dysfunction following radical prostatectomy for treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer remains a problem that deters many men from seeking surgical treatment. Sparing the cavernous nerves has been popularized as a method of preserving potency, but men with locally advanced disease may be at increased risk for positive margins with this technique. In this study, sural nerve grafting of the cavernous nerve bundles, to preserve postoperative potency while potentially maximizing cancer control, was examined.

Breast reconstruction in older women: advantages of autogenous tissue.

As the population ages, the treatment of breast cancer among elderly women is becoming increasingly common. Decisions with regard to breast reconstruction require not only consideration of patient age and comorbidities but also a need to balance life expectancy with quality of life. Although it is often assumed that implant-based breast reconstruction is the least disruptive method, especially among patients who may be facing limited survival times, it was hypothesized that autogenous tissue breast reconstruction is a well-tolerated and perhaps preferable means of reconstruction for older women who choose to undergo reconstruction following mastectomy.

Time-course of adiposity and fasting insulin from childhood to young adulthood in offspring of parents with coronary artery disease: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

Purpose: Obesity and the attendant insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia related to coronary artery disease (CAD) morbidity and mortality are well documented. However, information is lacking on the time-course relation of adiposity and fasting insulin from childhood to young adulthood in offspring of parents with CAD, a surrogate measure of future risk.

Methods: Longitudinal analysis was performed on data collected from the Bogalusa Heart Study cohort with (n = 271) and without (n = 805) a parental history of CAD followed since childhood by repeated surveys from 1973 to 1991.

Analysis of pharyngocutaneous fistula following free jejunal transfer for total laryngopharyngectomy.

The development of a pharyngocutaneous fistula is the most common and troublesome complication in the early postoperative period following free jejunal transfer for total laryngopharyngectomy. However, many aspects of this complication remain unclear. In this study, the authors analyzed their experience with the pharyngocutaneous fistula formation following free jejunal transfers to evaluate its clinical behavior, determine the significance of the anastomotic technique used, and evaluate the role of preoperative radiation therapy on its formation and management.

Quantification of vascular density using a semiautomated technique for immunostained specimens.

Objective: To develop a semiautomated, quantitative techniquefor the assessment of vascular density in immunohistochemically stained tissue sections using diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride (DAB) and hematoxylin as chromagens.

Study Design: A semiautomated thresholding technique was developed to quantitate vascular density in tissue sections stained with anti-CD31 (1 degrees antibody). The immunohistochemically stained specimens were digitally imaged using a 24-bit color camera.